Portable information communication terminal apparatus

ABSTRACT

A portable telephone  1  has a connecting portion  2  as well as a first housing portion  3  and a second housing portion  4  which are connected by the connecting portion  2  in such a manner as to be capable of being folded. An external video camera unit  10  is inserted in a camera-unit attaching portion  6 . Various video camera units having different specifications, such as a color video camera unit, a monochromatic video camera unit, a wide-angle video camera unit, and a tele video camera unit, can be attached to or detached from the camera-unit attaching portion  6.  The portable information communication terminal  1  is capable of identifying the specifications of the attached video camera unit and of switching over its internal operation in accordance with the specifications.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable informationcommunication terminal apparatus such as a portable telephone. Moreparticularly, the invention present concerns a portable informationcommunication terminal apparatus to which a plurality of video cameraunits having different specifications can be selectively attached, andwhich is capable of switching over its internal operation by identifyingthe specifications of the attached video camera unit.

BACKGROUND ARTS

[0002] Portable telephones are rapidly becoming widespread as progressis made in trends toward the compact size, lower price, and multiplefunction allowing not only speech but interchange of electronic mail andaccess to the Internet, for example.

[0003] If recording and transmission of images become possible in theportable telephones, the portable telephones will become moreconvenient. In addition, as a portable telephone capable of recordingand transmitting images, an information communication terminal apparatusdescribed in, for example, JP-A-11-69214 is known. In this informationcommunication terminal apparatus, an upper housing and a lower housingare rotatably connected by a connecting portion, and a video camera anda camera lens are accommodated in this connecting portion. According tothis information communication terminal apparatus, the recording andtransmission of images become possible, and a further multiple functionof the portable telephone can be realized.

[0004] The video camera and the camera lens in the aforementionedinformation communication terminal apparatus are accommodated in theconnecting portion of the video camera, and are not arranged to bedetachable. In addition, consideration has not been given to selectivelyattaching or detaching a plurality of video cameras having differentspecifications.

[0005] The invention has been devised in view of the above-describedcircumstances, and its object is to provide a portable informationcommunication terminal apparatus which a plurality of video camerashaving different specifications can be selectively attached to ordetached from, and which is capable of switching over its internaloperation by identifying the specifications of the attached videocamera.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The portable information communication terminal apparatus inaccordance with the invention is characterized by comprising: acamera-unit attaching portion capable of selectively attaching ordetaching a plurality of video camera units having differentspecifications; identifying means for identifying the specifications ofthe video camera unit attached to the camera unit attaching portion; andcontrolling means for changing over internal operation in accordancewith a result of identification by the identifying means. By virtue ofthis configuration, it is possible to selectively attach or detach aplurality of video camera units having different specifications, andchange over the internal operation by identifying the specifications ofthe attached video camera unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a portabletelephone in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

[0008]FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining a connectingrelationship at a time when an external video camera unit shown in FIG.1 is attached to a camera-unit attaching portion;

[0009]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the internalstructure of a camera body shown in FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a portion concerning video signalprocessing among electronic circuits in a main body of the portabletelephone shown in FIG. 1;

[0011]FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the controllingoperation of the portable telephone shown in FIG. 1 for changing overthe contents of video signal processing in accordance with thespecifications of the external video camera unit attached to acamera-unit attaching portion;

[0012]FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a portabletelephone in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and

[0013]FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a portabletelephone in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Referring now to the drawings, a description will be given of theembodiments of the invention.

[0015] (First Embodiment)

[0016]FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a portabletelephone in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.

[0017] This portable telephone 1 has a connecting portion 2 as well as afirst housing portion 3 and a second housing portion 4 which areconnected by the connecting portion 2 in such a manner as to be capableof being folded. Both the first housing portion 3 and the second housingportion 4 are formed in the shape of a substantially flat rectangularparallelopiped, and a display unit 5, a receiver (not shown), and thelike are disposed on the surface of the first housing portion 3. Inaddition, although not shown, operation keys, a microphone, and the likeare disposed on the surface of the second housing portion 4. Theconnecting portion 2 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, anda camera-unit attaching portion 6 is provided at one end thereof. Aconnector 12 of an external video camera unit 10, which is comprised ofa camera body 11 and the connector 12, is inserted in the camera-unitattaching portion 6. The camera body 11 is formed in a substantiallycylindrical shape, and accommodates a lens and an imaging devicetherein, and a light-receiving portion 13 is exposed on itscircumferential surface. Since the camera body 11 is arranged to berotatable about a direction in which it is fitted to the camera-unitattaching portion 6, i.e., about a longitudinal axis 14 of theconnecting portion 2, the direction of the light-receiving portion 13can be tilted over 360 degrees in the angle of elevation. Further,various external video camera units having different specifications,such as a color video camera unit, a monochromatic video camera unit, awide-angle video camera unit, and a tele video camera unit, can beattached to or detached from the camera-unit attaching portion 6. Thusthe portable information communication terminal 1 is so arranged to beable to identify the specifications of the attached video camera andswitch over its internal operation in accordance with thespecifications. The switching means will be described later.

[0018]FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining a connectingrelationship at the time when the external video camera unit 10 shown inFIG. 1 is attached to the camera-unit attaching portion 6. As shown inFIG. 2A, in the connecting portion 2, a printed circuit board 23 isdisposed in an internal space formed by a first member 21 and a secondmember 22 which engage each other. The printed circuit board 23 isretained by holding ribs 24 and 25 formed integrally with the firstmember 21. Further, a connector holding portion 26 is disposed at an endportion of the surface of the printed circuit board 23 on thecamera-unit attaching portion 6 side. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2B,the connector 12 is provided on one end of the camera body 11 in theexternal video camera unit 10 in such a manner as to project from aconnector proximal portion 15. The connector 12 and the connectorholding portion 26 are those which are called a pin plug and a pin jack,respectively. The camera body 11, the connector proximal portion 15, andthe connector 12 are formed as a unit, and in the state of beingattached to the camera-unit attaching portion 6, the connector 12 isinserted and held in the connector holding portion 26. Additionally, theconnector proximal portion 15 abuts against the camera-unit attachingportion 6. Further, the overall external video camera unit 10 is capableof rotating about the longitudinal axis 14 of the connecting portion 2.Here, instead of integrally forming the camera body 11, the connectorproximal portion 15, and the connector 12 so as to be rotatable as aunit, a swinging mechanism may be provided between the camera body 11and the connector proximal portion 15 to allow the camera body 11 to beswingable about ±180 degrees or thereabouts with respect to theconnector proximal portion 15.

[0019]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the internalstructure of the camera body 11. A printed circuit board 31 is providedinside the camera body 11, and a camera C-MOS unit 32 is mountedthereon. The connector 12 and the electrical circuitry of the printedcircuit board 31 are connected by a circuit board connector 34. Adust-entry preventing cushion 34 is provided on an upper end face of thecamera C-MOS unit 32. A disk-shaped transparent resin plate 33 is fixedto the light-receiving portion 13 of the camera body 11. Inside thecamera C-MOS unit 32, a lens 35 is disposed on the light-receivingportion 13 side, while a C-MOS imaging device 36 is disposed on theprinted circuit board 31 side. Accordingly, the light incident from thelight-receiving portion 13 is transmitted through the transparent resinplate 33, is converged by the lens 35, forms an image on the imagingdevice 36, and is converted to an image signal. Then, the image signalis subjected to predetermined processing by electronic circuits on theprinted circuit board 31, and is transmitted to the main body of theportable telephone 1 via the circuit board connector 34 and theconnector 12.

[0020]FIG. 4 illustrates a portion concerning video signal processingamong the electronic circuits in the main body of the portable telephone1. As shown in FIG. 4, provided inside the portable telephone 1 are theconnector holding portion 26 for receiving an electrical signal from theconnector 12, a CPU 41 for effecting such as control of the entireterminal apparatus, a video-signal processing circuit 42, atransmitting/receiving unit 43, an operating unit 44, and the displayunit 5.

[0021] The connector holding portion 26 outputs the video signalreceived from the connector 12 to the video-signal processing unit 42,and outputs an identification signal received from the connector 12 tothe CPU 41. Here, the identification signal is a signal for identifyingthe specifications of the external video camera unit 10, and isgenerated inside the camera body 11. The video-signal processing unit 42subjects the video signal received from the connector holding portion 26to predetermined display processing, and outputs it to the display unitD. In addition, the video-signal processing unit 42 effects datacompression processing and the like and outputs the video signalsubjected to such processing to the transmitting/receiving unit 43.Further, the video-signal processing unit 42 receives from thetransmitting/receiving unit 43 a video signal transmitted from anotherportable information communication terminal apparatus having a similarconfiguration, subjects the video signal to data expansion processing orthe like, and outputs it to the display unit 5. Thetransmitting/receiving unit 43 subjects the video signal received fromthe video-signal processing unit 42 to modulation, amplification, andother processing, and transmits it to an antenna. In addition, thetransmitting/receiving unit 43 subjects the signal received by theantenna to amplification, demodulation, and other processing, andtransmits it to the video-signal processing unit 42. In addition, thecontents of video signal processing are changed over in response to acontrol signal transmitted from the CPU 41. The operating unit 44 is aninput means for a user to input various commands at the time of usingthe portable telephone 1.

[0022] Next, referring to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, a descriptionwill be given of an example of the controlling operation of the portabletelephone 1 for changing over the contents of video signal processing inaccordance with the specifications of the external video camera unit 10attached to the camera-unit attaching portion 6. Here, a descriptionwill be given of a case where a color video camera and a monochromaticvideo camera can be selectively attached to or detached from thecamera-unit attaching portion 6, the portable telephone 1 identifiesthem, and the contents of video signal processing are changed over.

[0023] First, the CPU 41 reads a video camera identification signal(Step S1), and determines whether or not the video camera is the colorvideo camera (Step S2). Then, if a determination is made that it is thecolor video camera (YES in Step S2), the CPU 41 instructs thevideo-signal processing unit 42 to perform color video signal processing(Step S3). If a determination is made that it is not the color videocamera (NO in Step S2), the CPU 41 determines whether or not the videocamera is the monochromatic video camera (Step S4). Then, if adetermination is made that it is the monochromatic video camera (YES inStep S4), the CPU 41 instructs the video-signal processing unit 42 toperform monochromatic video signal processing (Step S5). If adetermination is made that it is not the monochromatic video camera (NOin Step S4), a determination is made that a proper identification signalhas not been fetched, and the processing ends. The foregoing processingis repeated for each fixed time duration.

[0024] It should be noted that, in the above-described processing, evenif the color video camera, for instance, is attached, in a case wherethe user has instructed from the operating unit 44 to effectmonochromatic processing, control may be provided to place priority onthe user's instruction.

[0025] In addition, although the above description concerns the casewhere identification is made between the color video camera and themonochromatic video camera, identification made be made between awide-angle video camera and a tele video camera, and control may beprovided to effect video signal processing corresponding thereto.

[0026] Further, when the light-receiving portion 13 of the externalvideo camera unit 10 is facing the reverse surface side of the housingof the portable telephone 1, the top and the bottom of the video cameraare reversed when compared with the case where it is facing the front.Accordingly, it is preferable to provide an arrangement to providetop/bottom reversing processing by the video-signal processing unit 42upon detecting such a situation.

[0027] (Second Embodiment)

[0028]FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a second embodiment of theinvention. This portable telephone 51 has a housing formed in the shapeof a substantially flat rectangular parallelopiped, an antenna 52 isdisposed at its upper left end portion, and a receiver 53, a displayunit 54, and an operating key 55 are disposed in that order from the topon the surface of the housing. Further, an external connection terminal56 is provided on a lower end face of the housing. The externalconnection terminal 56 is an input/output terminal for connecting theconnector at a time when data communication or the like is effected withan external control apparatus such as a personal computer, or when theportable telephone 51 is charged by a charger. It should be noted thatthe terminal for data communication may be of a type which effectsoptical transmission with the connector.

[0029] An external video camera unit 61 has an I/O connector 63 whichcan be attached to or detached from the external connection terminal 56,and as the I/O connector 63 is inserted in the external connectionterminal 56, the external video camera unit 61 is mechanically andelectrically connected to the portable telephone 51. As for the externalvideo camera unit 61, it is preferable to provide an arrangement inwhich a camera body 62 is made swingable about an axis 65 of the I/Oconnector in its fitting direction to allow its light-receiving portion64 to be able to pan.

[0030] Thus, in accordance with the second embodiment of the invention,since the external video camera unit 61 is connected to the externalconnection terminal, an exclusive member for attaching the externalvideo camera unit 61 is unnecessary.

[0031] (Third Embodiment)

[0032]FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a second embodiment of theinvention. This portable telephone 71 has a housing formed in the shapeof a substantially flat rectangular parallelopiped in the same way asthe second embodiment, an antenna 72 is disposed at its upper left endportion, and a receiver 73, a display unit 74, and an operating key 75are disposed in that order from the top on the surface of the housing.Further, an external connection terminal 76 is provided on a lower endportion of the housing. Further, this portable telephone 71 has aretaining hole 77 for retaining a holder with a video camera unit 81,which will be described later, is provided on an upper end portion ofthe housing.

[0033] The holder with a video camera unit 81 is formed of an elastomeror the like substantially into a box-shape, and has an external videocamera unit 82 at its upper end and an I/O connector unit 84 at itslower end. The I/O connector unit 84 has an I/O connector 85, and theexternal video camera unit 82 and the I/O connector 85 are electricallyconnected. A retaining pawl 83 which engages the retaining hole 77 ofthe portable telephone 71 is provided at an inner upper end of theholder with a video camera unit 81. It should be noted that a headsetjack 86 is a terminal for inserting a plug of the headset duringhand-free telephone conversation.

[0034] In the third embodiment having the above-described configuration,the portable telephone 71 is accommodated in the holder with a videocamera unit 81. At this time, the external connection terminal 76 at thelower end of the portable telephone 71 and the I/O connector 85 areconnected, and the retaining hole 77 and the retaining pawl 83 at theupper end are engaged. Since the I/O connector unit 84 is swingableabout a direction 87 at the lower end face of the holder with a videocamera unit 81, the external connection terminal 76 can be easilyinserted in the I/O connector 85.

[0035] When the portable telephone 71 is set in the holder with a videocamera unit 81, the video signal picked up by the external video cameraunit 82 is inputted to the portable telephone 71 via the I/O connector85 and the external connection terminal 76. In addition, the holder witha video camera unit 81 has the function of protecting the portabletelephone 71 from a shock and the like. It is preferable to provide anarrangement for making the external video camera unit 82 swingable aboutthe longitudinal direction of the holder with a video camera unit 81,thereby allowing the external video camera unit 82 to pan in the sameway as the second embodiment.

[0036] As described above, in accordance with this third embodiment, theexternal video camera unit 82 is connected to the external connectionterminal, 25 and the portable telephone 71 can be protected from a shockor the like at the time of connection of the external video camera unit82.

[0037] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0038] As described above, there are provided a camera-unit attachingportion capable of selectively attaching or detaching a plurality ofvideo camera units having different specifications; identifying meansfor identifying the specifications of the video camera unit attached tothe camera-unit attaching portion; and controlling means for changingover internal operation in accordance with a result of identification bythe identifying means. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a portableinformation communication terminal apparatus having excellent advantagesin that it is possible to selectively attach or detach a plurality ofvideo camera units having different specifications, and that it ispossible to change over the internal operation by identifying thespecifications of the attached video camera unit.

1. A portable information communication terminal apparatus comprising: acamera-unit attaching portion capable of selectively attaching ordetaching a plurality of video camera units having differentspecifications; identifying means for identifying the specifications ofsaid video camera unit attached to said camera-unit attaching portion;and controlling means for changing over internal operation in accordancewith a result of identification by said identifying means.
 2. Theportable information communication terminal apparatus according to claim1, wherein said plurality of video camera units are a color video cameraand a monochromatic video camera, and said controlling means effectschangeover between color video signal processing and monochromatic videosignal processing.
 3. The portable information communication terminalapparatus according to claim 1, wherein said video camera unit isswingable about a direction in which said video camera unit is attachedto said camera-unit attaching portion.
 4. The portable informationcommunication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further providinga housing having a structure allowing said housing to be folded by aconnecting portion, wherein said camera-unit attaching portion isprovided in said connecting portion.
 5. The portable informationcommunication terminal apparatus according to claim 1, further providingan external connection terminal, wherein said external connectionterminal is used as said camera-unit attaching portion.
 6. The portableinformation communication terminal apparatus according to claim 5,wherein said video camera unit having an input/output connector can beattached to or detached from said connecting portion.
 7. The portableinformation communication terminal apparatus according to claim 5,wherein a housing of said portable information communication terminalapparatus is held by holding means having said video camera unit and aninput/output connector unit electrically connected to said video camera.